Have you ever been down for no particular reason? For instance, you go to bed feeling happy, cheerful and sleepy and then you wake up, feeling like a blight on humanity.
Yeah, that didn’t happen to me the other day at all.
But, for the purposes of this exercise let’s say that I have felt like that, and I’ve found that the best cure is a “Parks and Recreation” marathon.
When one feels like: a) a wart on the soul of the universe; b) the gum on someone’s shoe; or c) hair caught in a drain – watching the adventures of the people in the Parks Department in Pawnee is chocolate sauce for the soul.
How can you not love a show with lines like:
“The raccoon problem is under control. They have their part of the town and we have ours.”
Or:
“Pawnee’s library department is the most diabolical, ruthless bunch of bureaucrats I’ve ever seen. They’re like a biker gang. Only instead of shotguns and crystal meth, they use political savvy and shushing.”
So the other day when I was watching some Parks and Recreation episodes back-to-back, I decided that I wanted some comfort food too. My mind wandered to what was in the fridge, and it focused on cheddar, jalapenos and some gorgeous fresh dill that my husband had grabbed at the store.
“You should make some scones,” my brain said.
However, you hear of “cheddar and dill” this, and you hear of “cheddar and jalapeno” that, but you don’t really hear about the three of them together.
The episode I was watching was “Go Big or Go Home,” so I took that as a sign from the universe to give this recipe idea a shot.
And I’m happy to report that these scones were fantastic. They not only helped my brain feel better (with the help of a very funny show), they had a side effect I wasn’t expecting. It turns out my husband had woken up feeling like the lint in someone’s vacuum cleaner, a newspaper rattling down a subway station, and a wet umbrella next to the door too.
So when I told him what I had made, his mood brightened considerably.
These flaky little scones had Ann Perkins-esque beauty, with the spice of Ron Swanson wooing his second wife, Tammy 2. And by the time the credits rolled and we’d broken bread together, both of us felt much better.
So, give these little guys a shot. You won’t be disappointed – even if you’re feeling a little down.
Cheddar, Jalapeno and Dill Scones
Makes 10 scones.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ -3 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons+ 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 cup of half and half
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
- 3 scallions, white and green parts, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons of diced pickled jalapenos
- 1 tablespoon of fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of melted unsalted butter
Instructions:
In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. In a smaller bowl mix together the half and half with the egg. Add the half and half/egg mixture to the larger bowl. Add in the cheese, jalapenos, scallions and dill. Mix the dough together with your hands, until everything is incorporated. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out, so that it’s 1-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, bowl, or cup, cut the dough into circles. Place the scones on a cookie sheet and brush with the melted butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
(Photos by Launie K.)
